Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 46-minute commentary on the Ornament of Clear Realization, Rinpoche systematically explains the ten topics that constitute omniscience, a Buddha’s exalted wisdom. He focuses on the first topic: mind generation, or bodhicitta, the awakening heart, defined as the special mind that wishes to attain perfect enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. This is the defining characteristic of a Mahāyāna practitioner. Rinpoche distinguishes two types: aspirational mind generation, the initial wish developed through contemplation, and practical mind generation, in which one actively engages in the six perfections. Using the analogy of thinking about going to work versus actually departing, he clarifies how intention transforms into lived practice on the path. Suited for practitioners with some background in Buddhist philosophy.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 1989-08-17 – Side 1 – KR.MP3
UUID: 43557098-9722-4fb3-8d2b-d2d56f98a822
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Ornament of Clear Realization
Date: 1989-08-17
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~2,308
So we should adjust our motivation such that we’re going to listen to this profound teaching on the great vehicle with the intention to achieve highest perfect unsurpassable enlightenment for the sake of establishing all sentient beings equal to space and complete happiness and bliss. So the basis of the great vehicle is the sutras on the perfection of wisdom or transcendental wisdom. Within this area of literature there is the presentation of the profound path of emptiness and the extensive path of the activities of the Buddha, of the Bodhisattvas. This was set forth by Maitreya in his Ornament for Clear Realization, where he took up the explanation by means of eight categories and 70 topics. So we’ve completed the explanation of the eight categories, that is the actual headings of these categories by way of definitions, divisions, and their boundaries.
So there we have presented the eight categories by way of definitions and divisions. Simply this abbreviated explanation would make it very difficult to actually realize the meaning of these subjects which are taken up. And therefore, as a method for recognizing well, to actually realize them, then as a foundation of the ornament, these subjects or these categories are expanded into 70 topics. So the explanation of how these 70 topics are condensed into eight categories. The first subject that we take up, the first category is omniscience, the exalted knower of all aspects.
And this has 10 topics. Of these 70 topics that we’re going to be looking at, this has 10. So before, during the explanation of omniscience, the exalted knower of all aspects, we gave the definition of omniscience That was ultimate exalted wisdom which directly realizes the 10 topics, mind generation and so on. So it mentions within the definition itself that we’re going to be looking at 10 topics. And the first one of these is mind generation and the so on is, you know, etcetera, that is the other nine.
So we’ve been presented with this definition of omniscience. If we really want to develop an idea what an omniscience consciousness is, we understand that it is a consciousness, an exalted wisdom, which directly understands these 10 topics. It is the having these 10 topics as its object, it is a direct ultimate knower of these 10 topics. A direct ultimate knower of these 10 topics. So just as when we were studying awareness and knowledge, and we studied that the, for example, the definition of awareness is knower.
And then we went on to look at, for example, prime cognizer. The definition of prime cognizer was a new incontrovertible knower. So when we want to understand what is a prime cognizer, we can understand it’s a new knower. It’s an incontrovertible knower. So when we want to understand what is omniscience, consciousness, it is an exalted wisdom which directly understands mind generation and these other nine topics.
This is the way we can come to identify what we mean when we say omniscient. Observing the mind generation, which is the first topic, and the other nine. It directly and ultimately understands them. Do you understand that? So we can come to identify things by understanding their definition, the definition or nature.
For example, we understand a vase as being that which has a splayed bottom, round bellied, and is able to hold fluids. When we understand that definition then we can recognize what a vase is. Likewise when we say people can talk back and forth and we can be, who is this person? They can be explained and then when we see this person we can recognize this person. We can identify the things by understanding their nature.
So when we say omniscience, we mean the exalted an ultimate exalted knower directly understanding the mind generation and the nine other topics, mind generation being the first. When we say a direct knower, when we studied awareness and knowledge we understood there were two types of valid cognition. There was direct and inference amongst those two. This is direct. And ultimate is only at the state of Buddhahood.
And exalted knower is a path. So taking these together we can get an understanding of what we mean by omniscience. So in order to understand what omniscience is, we begin to have to understand its nature by way of its nature is represented in its definition that we’re giving. And what it’s observing is So it is observing the 10 topics. It is understanding directly and ultimately these 10 topics.
So we have to come to an understanding of what these 10 topics is to be able to understand thoroughly what omniscience is. So we’re going to begin to look at these 10 topics. And the first one of these 10 topics is mind generation. Now as we’ve discussed previously, mind generation is of two types. There is ultimate and conventional mind generation.
Mind generation is synonymous with awakening mind, awakening heart bodhicitta, awakening mind generation and bodhicitta. So that’s the first of these 10 topics. The second of these 10 topics is precepts. These represent the various instructions. The third is the four limbs of discrimination.
And this is the path of preparation. The four limbs of discrimination is the path of preparation. The fourth is the nature of the element of qualities, which is the basis for achieving. The nature of the element of qualities, which is the basis for achieving. This is emptiness.
Emptiness is being referred to here. The fifth is objects of observation. Objects of observation. This refers to all objects of knowledge. So those are the first five topics that we’re going to look at.
So with we’re going to begin to look at the first now, and that is the mind generation. And we look at it from the point of view of definition, divisions, and boundaries. So so begin with the definition. The the actual definition for mind generation is quite long, so we’re going to give an abbreviated version. And here we’re talking about great vehicle mind generation.
Great vehicle mind generation. So the definition of great an abbreviated version of the definition of great vehicle mind generation is a special mind which wishes to attain perfect, complete, unsurpassable enlightenment for the sake of others, a special mind which wishes to attain perfect, complete, unsurpassable enlightenment for the sake of others is the definition of great vehicle mind generation. So this is an extremely precious mind. When we talk about the great vehicle mind generation, it’s is synonymous with the conventional mind of enlightenment or conventional bodhicitta, the awakening heart. As has been mentioned previously in our discussions, it is once one has generated the awakening heart, one becomes a bodhisattva.
It’s the distinguishing factor of whether one is a practitioner of the great vehicle. An actual practitioner within the great vehicle itself is whether one has generated the awakening heart or not. It is the main cause for the achievement of Buddhahood. That is why it’s so precious. So, you know, we have to to contemplate, think about this awakening heart, definition that we’re giving.
It’s a special mind which wishes to attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment for the sake of others. So the awakening heart is the basis of illustration and then we’re giving this definition to help us to understand it, to help us to be able to discriminate exactly what it is, to develop this distinguishing understanding or discriminated awareness about what the awakening heart is. So this is we try to get the sense of what we’re talking about every time that we begin our classes, when we set our motivation. That for the sake of myself and all other sentient beings, I must attain unsurpassable, complete, perfect Buddhahood. And therefore, I’m listening with to discussions, the talks with this kind of motivation.
This is the sense that we’re trying to develop. So it is for the sake of others the wish to attain unsurpassable, perfect, complete enlightenment. Enlightenment where we mean Buddhahood. And by others we mean sentient beings other than ourselves. One wishes oneself to attain Buddhahood for the sake of others.
When we begin to cultivate this, when this wish is transformed, its entity is transformed into a path, then I have become a practitioner of the great vehicle. The wish that we’re trying to separate sentient beings from suffering and establish them in happiness. And the way to do this is to achieve Buddhahood. And when this wish becomes a path, we become a practitioner of the great vehicle. Do you understand that?
So it is for the sake of others, the achievement of Buddhahood. You know, others are extremely important. Sentient beings are extremely precious to us because they have been our parents and they have been very kind to us. And we see that they’re being tortured by suffering and we develop the wish to establish them in happiness. But at the present we don’t have this ability to establish them in happiness.
We say, Well, who can bring happiness to all sentient beings? And we understand only a Buddha has that capacity. And therefore one develops the intention that I will attain Buddhahood. And therefore, with this intention that I must generate enlightenment within myself. And when one develops this kind heart, this is the awakening heart.
So the awakening heart has two components. It has the love and compassion for sentient beings. It wants to bring them happiness. It wants to separate them suffering. That’s one component.
And in order to bring this about, it develops the wish to attain unsurpassable, perfect, complete enlightenment. And therefore it has this aspect of aspiring to enlightenment because it wants to develop all the qualities of a Buddha. Therefore it has to achieve Buddhahood, and this is done by achieving enlightenment. Buddha has the ultimate abilities to bring about the welfare of others, so it has these two aspects. One is the love and compassion towards sentient beings and the other is aspiring toward enlightenment.
So when one cultivates that awareness to the point where it arises spontaneously, then it is the actual awakening heart. One has become a bodhisattva, a practitioner of the great vehicle. So this awakening heart is what we’re referring to as the great vehicle mind generation. Now with respect to the divisions of great vehicle mind generation, we’re going to look at the divisions from the point of view of entity, from the point of view of the mode of generation, and from the point of view of the three example, accompaniers, and concordances. Examples, accompaniers, and concordances.
Accompaniers? Entity, modes of generation, means of generation, ways of generating. With respect to this first division, from the point of view of entity, there are two. There is the aspirational mind generation and practical mind generation, or it’s sometimes called engaging mind generation. Aspirational?
Aspiring mind generation and practical mind generation. Aspiring mind generation and practical mind generation. Śāntideva talks about these two types of mind generation, the aspiring and practical, by way of a verse in which he cites and he makes the distinguishment by way of analogy and meaning. Analogy and a meaning. So the distinguishment between these two types of mind generation by way of analogy is that if we were to get up in the morning and thinking in our mind, Oh, today I have to go to the office.
Today I have to go to work. And just simply thinking about what you have to do, what you’re going to do. And then this is simply thinking about one really isn’t going to work. You’re just contemplating what you’re going to do. And then there’s that aspect.
And then the aspect where you actually begin to move in the direction of going to work. Having thought about it, you actually start walking and you go through all the various motions to get yourself to work, to the place, to the office where you want to go. So one is simply contemplating thinking about it, and the other one is actually going to the place. So the the meaning which is which is being gotten out by this analogy is that as was discussed in the definition of mind generation, for the sake of others wishing to attain perfect, complete, unsurpassable enlightenment. At this point it’s simply a thought.
It’s an aspiration. We’re developing a motivation. We’re not actually going. In the case of thinking about going to work, it’s simply we actually haven’t gotten physically moving yet. We’re just developing the intention, thinking about going to work.
It’s still in the thinking stage. So we’ve developed this aspiration at this point to achieve enlightenment for the sake of others, but simply aspiring. So in with initially we’re simply thinking about going to work. We’re not actually going. Developing the motivation, I’m going to work, but we’re still on our seat.
We haven’t gotten up yet. It’s still just a thought. Then we actually get up and we start walking. We start actually moving toward where we want to go, we’re going to work. We’re involved in practical activities to achieve what we’re motivated toward.
We talked about the quality of mind generation. For the sake of sentient beings, seeking complete, perfect, unsurpassed enlightenment. This is simply at the contemplation stage one is thinking about it. At the practical mind generation stage one actually takes up the activities, engages in activities in fact, practically, in order to achieve that end. For example, one begins to meditate on emptiness.
One practices generosity, ethics, patience, effort. One engages in the actual activities of the six perfections. When one actually engages in these activities, then this becomes practical mind generation or engaging mind generation.